Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
by Paradisebythedashboardlight
Summary: Story about the love triangle between Jake/Marley/Ryder. Is it going to be Jake and Marley or Marley and Ryder? Story used to be named " Love Triangle".
1. Prologue

**Hi. So I like Glee and I thought I'd write a story about the Jake/ Marley/Ryder triangle which I find very interesting. This my first attempt at writing a story so it's probably not going to be very good. I don't own anything, by the way.**

_Prologue  
_

In her first year as a sophomore, they were two guys who wanted to date Marley Rose. She couldn't make a choice between them. They were both so different. Popular at school but chose to be in Glee Club because they liked it. Both good singers and also..both very good friends with each other. They were also different. Jake was an _amazing _dancer and Ryder was quite bad at dancing. Ryder was in the football team and Jake was not. Ryder played the drums, Jake played the guitar. Like his older half-brother, Noah Puckerman, Jake was the " bad boy" of the school. Even if he wasn't really like that. Jake was was a cool guy and nice with pretty much everyone. He also had quite a reputation as a ladies' man until he met Marley. They became friends quickly even though they were so different from each other. The only thing they had in common was singing and...Glee Club. The outcast and the popular guy. She really thought he would ask her out but then he got a girlfriend, Kitty Wilde, the most popular girl in the whole school. She was a Cheerio and also happened to join Glee Club. Then they broke up because Jake wanted to keep his friendship with Marley and well, Kitty disliked her because...she never knew, actually. That's when Marley met Ryder. He was new at school back then. He was the " golden boy", everyone seemed to like him. He was nice and really cared about people. Ryder stood up for Marley when she was being insulted. That's how they became friends. Then they also starred as Danny and Sandy in the Grease production organized by the school and the Glee Club. He was the first to kiss her when she was nervous about being on stage, in front of everyone. Then Jake and Ryder both sang her a duet in Glee Club and that ended in a fight between the two of them. Marley chose Jake instead of Ryder. Meanwhile, Jake and Ryder became friends. Jake and Marley started " dating" and had their first kiss at the Sadie Hawkins dance. All was going great until...Mr. Schue's wedding. In the days that followed the event, Ryder admitted his feelings for her when she wanted to thank him for helping Jake with the Valentine Day's gifts. He kissed her and she was now back to being confused. Marley then had no choice but to tell Jake what happened. He was angry at first but eventually forgave both of them, Jake and Marley continued their relationship and Jake and Ryder became good friends again. It lasted..until started until she learned from Bree, another Cheerio, that Jake _had cheated _on her. She didn't believe it until she actually confronted Jake about it. He didn't say anything which just proved that he actually _did_ cheat on her. She refused to let him explain himself and just walked away.

What was she going to do now?

**Leave a review! Thanks for reading. **


	2. NOTE

**Hi. This is just a note about the story. I actually don't know if it's going to be Marley/Jake or Marley/Ryder at the end of the story so maybe you could decide in a review which one you like better and why. If you have any other suggestions, tell me!**

**Thank you  
**


	3. Movin 'Out

Hello** everybody! Thank you for the reviews. Has anyone seen the new episode?! I loved it. I just love Billy Joel. My favorite along with " The End Of Twerk". I don't know which pairing to choose now. I don't own anything, although I used dialog from this episode. Here's chapter 2!**

_Marley's POV_

Marley had a surprise when she opened her locker on this Thursday morning. She sighed as she discovered roses inside..._once again. _Since Jake's confession, she hadn't talked to him at all. Why should she talk to him? He had cheated on her with..._that girl._ Since then, Jake sent her roses everyday in hopes she would speak to him again and maybe even forgive him.

" I'm sorry. " That was Jake with a rose in one hand. It was the first time he had tried to apologize to her in person. Usually, he would just send roses and look at her with pleading eyes and in return, she would just ignore him.

Still mad at him for what he had done, she replied angrily. " For breaking into my locker?"

" For breaking your trust." He paused and then continued. " Marley, wait. Look, I screwed up and I made a stupid mistake. I wanna make it up to you. Please, let me say I'm sorry."

Marley stayed calm. " You shouldn't have to. You are who you are and I knew who you were when I got into this. It was stupid of me to try to change you. "

" I did change, I'm not that guy anymore. " Jake protested as sincerely as he could.

" You are. You'll always be that guy." She then turned around and kept walking without ever looking back at him. Jake looked down and stared at the rose that was still in his hand.

...

_Jake's POV_

Jake was weight training when suddenly, his good friend, Ryder, came into the training room and blurted out. " Dude, what's wrong with you?"

Jake kept training as he answered. " Me? Nothing. " He was still figuring out why Ryder wanted to talk to him _right now. W_hatever he wanted from him, it could wait._  
_

" There must be something because I can't figure out why anybody would screw up the best thing in their life the way you just did. " Jake sighed. Of course, Ryder would want to talk about Marley. Ryder's crush on Marley was obvious and his feelings towards her stayed the same even though she chose Jake over him.

He replied as if he couldn't give a shit about he whole thing. " Marley said it herself. I am who I am, I do what I do. Get involved at your own risks.

Ryder was apparently not happy with his response because he tried to take his arm with one hand but Jake just pushed it away without much care and stayed perfectly impassive.

" I can't believe you could be so stupid. " Of course, Ryder wasn't getting it. He was the good guy. Always. Good guys never do stupid stuff like cheating. But that wasn't who Jake was. He was a _Puckerman._

" What do you want from me, Ryder? We spend everyday in that room telling each other to embrace who we are. Do you want me to be different? To not be me? Cause that's never gonna happen so start learning to like the real Jake Puckerman or leave me the hell alone. "

Just as he was leaving the room, Jake suddenly had an idea for the Billy Joel song he was going to sing for this week' s assignment in Glee Club. And he would perform the hell out of with these awesome new dances moves he practiced.

_Got a call from an old friend_  
_ We used to be real close_  
_ Said he couldn't go on the American way_  
_ Closed the shop, sold the house_  
_ Bought a ticket to the West Coast_  
_ Now he gives them a stand-up routine in L.A._

_ I don't need you to worry for me cause I'm alright_  
_ I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home_  
_ I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life_  
_ Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone_

_ I never said you had to offer me a second chance_  
_ (I never said you had to)_  
_ I never said I was a victim of circumstance_  
_ (I never said)_  
_ I still belong, don't get me wrong_  
_ You can speak your mind_  
_ But not on my time_

_I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life_  
_ Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone_

They could say whatever they wanted about him. He didn't care. Who were they to judge him? They weren't better than him.

Jake Puckerman was back.

...

_Marley's POV_

" He turned out to be exactly what everyone said he was. And the worst part is...I still miss him." Marley complained to her mom, Millie Rose, as she helped her cook in the cafeteria's kitchen.

Her mom didn't seem to mind too much though. They always had a great relationship, they always told each other everything . " Of course, you do. "

Marley started getting emotional from all that talking about the subject. " I hate it so much!" She hugged her mom. Her mom soon started to makes jokes and soon, they were both laughing.

Her mom then started being more serious and started to talk about how she was also her age and she knew the reasons why she loved Jake. Marley didn't listen much, her mind was somewhere else. Suddenly, her mom took her hand and told her.

" You need to hold out for a good guy this time. Not just someone you have feelings for but someone you can trust"

...

_Ryder's POV_

If Jake was stupid enough to let Marley go then fine, it was his problem. On the other hand, _He_ would be a good boyfriend to Marley. He would listen to her, He would help her with whatever she needed help with and most of all, he would NEVER cheat on a girl like Marley. That's why when he saw Marley walking in the hallway, he almost ran after her.

He took a deep breath. " Go out with me". It was said with a great deal of confidence on Ryder's part.

She looked at him sweetly. " Ryder. no" Ryder excepted that to be her answer so he just continued. Nobody could ever say he wasn't determined.

" Look, I'm single. You're newly single. Why no? I have good family values, I go to church. I've never been arrested. I'm not ugly." Marley smiled at him. His speech was just so... adorable although, not convincing at all.

Ryder took her smiling as good sign. She wouldn't be smiling at him if she didn't agree with was he was saying, right? He decided to continue.

" Now that I can read, I get good grades and...I always thought you were the most amazing girl in the history of world." He really meant it. All of it and hopefully, Marley would see it and go out on a date with him.

" That's really sweet...I just don't wanna date anyone right now! What happened with Jake was really painful. I need a little break from men." She suddenly seemed very tense and uncomfortable. Obviously, what happened with Jake had made her a little reticent about the idea of going out with 's why he decided to assure her that he only had good intentions.

" Look, I'm a really, really good guy, Marley. I would never hurt you. All I need is a chance and I swear, I'd never ever do to you what he did."

Marley really seemed to think about it for the first time." I'll think about it." She walked away and Ryder suddenly had this Billy Joel song in mind. What was the name again? Oh right, _An Innocent Man._

That was what he was going to sing in Glee.

_Some people stay far away from the door_  
_ If there's a chance of it opening up_  
_ They hear a voice in the hall outside_  
_ And hope that it just passes by_

_Some people see through the eyes of the old_  
_ Before they ever get look at the young_  
_ I'm only willing to hear you cry_  
_ Because I am an innocent man_  
_ Oh yes I am_

_Some people find that's it's easier to hate_  
_ Than to wait anymore_  
_ I know you don't want to hear what I say_

Ryder looked straight at Marley while singing. He noticed Jake was looking at her...who wasn't looking at him and only had eyes for Ryder who was singing. He gained back his confidence, lost during their talk, and even tried to dance along the beat of song. Marley chuckled.

_Some people run from a possible fight_  
_ Some people figure they can never win_  
_ And although this is a fight I can lose_  
_ The accused is an innocent man_  
_ Oh yes I am_  
_ An innocent man_

He kneeled in front of Marley as he finished the song. " Marley, will you go out with me?" Marley didn't think about it and replied happily.

" Yes." As soon as she said it, Jake got up and stormed out of the choir room. They looked at him and Ryder smiled at Marley...who smiled back.

_..._

_Marley's POV_

Marley was looking for a book in her locker when Ryder surprised her. She never even knew he was there. He grinned and simply said. " Check your instgram. "

Opening her phone to see what was Ryder talking about, she smiled. Then she saw a picture of the two of them...on their date last night. She suddenly felt very awkward, for no apparent reason. She smiled at him, hiding how she really felt.

" When did you do all that?"

" Last night. After our date, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Look, I don't want to freak you out or anything but I'd love to do it again. Like... Maybe tonight? " He had barely his sentence that Jake interrupted. He placed himself between them.

" So you guys are like really a thing?" Jake wondered in a friendly tone. They, Ryder and Marley, stopped in their tracks. Ryder put his arm around Marley.

" It's none of your business anymore. " Two girls passed by the trio and Jake stared at them before reporting his attention on Ryder and Marley.

" Cool. Well, congratulations. Duty calls." As Jake left the couples, going after the two girls, Marley faced Ryder and said. " okay, If I'm going to be honest here, just because we go out once doesn't mean that we're going out. I still need time for me."

She left, leaving Ryder alone and confused.

...

In the final number for the week, the Glee Club all danced around school to _You May Be Right._ Ryder sang to Marley, who sang back to him, then Jake sang to Marley, who sang back to him with hesitation, then he went after some girl, leaving Ryder and Marley alone.

_Well, you may be right_  
_ I may be crazy_  
_ Hey!_  
_ But it just might be a lunatic you're looking for_  
_ Turn out the light_  
_ Don't try to save me_  
_ Well you may be wrong for all I know_  
_ But you may be right_

**Songs are " You May Be Right", " My Life" and " An Innocent Man" all by Billet Joel ( Glee Cast versions) Review!  
**


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